The [Hot-Blooded Youth] talent wasn't worth keeping.
At least, without a matching Blue talent to balance it out, Kashiwagi knew all too well that the side effects outweighed the benefits.
Not everyone was as lucky or as calculating as that schoolgirl—and besides, she was already reckless enough on her own.
He closed his eyes and picked Rewards 1, 2, and 3.
"Brave Bird, huh... a move that none of my team can learn for now."
Kashiwagi let out a long yawn and stretched. He called out to Mawile, who was currently perched on another sofa, sipping black tea and nibbling on crackers while glued to a cartoon on TV.
"Mawile?"
The Steel-type frowned, scooting her bottom across the cushions with a hint of impatience.
She was right in the middle of The Meowth and the Rattata! In the latest episode, the Rattata's cousin from Alola had just arrived to give Meowth a well-deserved thrashing—it was the climax of the season!
"A little gift for you, considering how hard you've worked lately." Kashiwagi chuckled, patting her head as he transferred the three level-up rewards into her.
Mawile started to huff and brush his hand away, but suddenly, she felt a surge of new power coursing through her body.
Her annoyance vanished instantly, replaced by a beaming smile.
"Ma-wile! ✨"
If she weren't so shy, she might have actually given her Trainer a peck on the cheek.
"As long as you're happy. Back to your show," Kashiwagi said, waving her off, not wanting to disturb Mawile's good mood any further.
Due to various circumstances, Mawile had actually received the fewest level rewards. Whether it was the level 50 or level 70 milestones, she had mostly relied on her own natural talent to grow.
Now that Hydreigon had reached his final evolution, it was only fair to let her catch up a bit.
...
A Day of Rest and Relaxation
Kashiwagi believed in the philosophy of "work hard, play hard." After days of grueling training, he always made sure his Pokémon had a day or two to just be—to do exactly what they liked while he took a breather himself.
Today was that day.
Scanning the room, the first thing he saw was Galarian Corsola. She had successfully hijacked the Shiny Feebas's tank, attempting to return to her ultimate state of "maximum slacking."
Supposedly, being underwater helped her keep her cool, though Kashiwagi wasn't sure if that was true or if she was just being lazy.
Back when they didn't have a tank, she'd settle for a kitchen sink, a bucket, or even a washbasin. She wasn't picky.
Next to her was Mawile was still glued to the TV, devouring the snacks on the plate. Despite the massive plate of cookies in front of her, that was actually her entire week's ration.
If he didn't keep a strict eye on this "Dessert Destroyer," she'd inhale the whole lot in one sitting and still show up for two more large bowls of dinner.
And the black tea? Same story.
As long as Kashiwagi kept brewing pots, she'd keep draining them. For someone so small, her stomach was a bottomless pit. Thus, her second title: The Tea Guzzler.
The funny thing was, despite her "chugging" style, she could still somehow tell the difference between high-quality leaves and the cheap stuff.
From the kitchen—out of sight but definitely not out of mind—came the rhythmic thud-thud-thud of a knife against a cutting board. Blissey was happily preparing a feast.
Perhaps she had originally learned to cook to ease Kashiwagi's burden, but now, there was a new reason: she genuinely loved it.
It warmed his heart to see that cooking had become her hobby rather than a chore. You could practically taste the happiness in every bite she made.
Outside on the lawn, Aggron was busy with a bucket and a hose, watering the bamboo and flowers. He even helped out with some light pruning.
The Shiny Feebas hung out in the water bucket, watching the "gardening" with great interest.
Further off, Porygon was zipping around like a remote-controlled car, being chased by a pack of local Bagon like a bunch of rowdy neighborhood pups. It was unclear whose Pokémon they were, and no Dragon people were seen nearby.
...
That left one question: where was the most clingy member of the team?
Answer: The Dragon's Den.
Kashiwagi had practically forced Hydreigon to go. As the only Dragon-type on the team, it would have been a waste not to visit the local hotspot.
He wasn't expecting Hydreigon to become the "King of the Den" like Ash's Charizard; he just wanted him to make some friends and maybe build a foundation for Kashiwagi to find a new Dragon partner in the future.
If he learned a new move, great. If not, the main goal was developing an independent personality.
Being too clingy wasn't really a good thing.
Kashiwagi had specifically asked Jinya if the Dragon's Den welcomed outsiders. Jinya didn't hesitate for a second, having his Garchomp lead Hydreigon straight there. A powerful Dragon-type like Hydreigon would surely be popular among its kin.
"I wonder how he's doing..."
Even though he was the one who kicked the "kid" out for the day, he couldn't help but worry. "Maybe I should sneak over and peek? No, his nose is too sharp; he'd catch my scent immediately. I'll wait until sunset."
...
Kashiwagi glanced at the time, ran to another sofa, picked up Mawile, and watched TV with it for a while,
then went to the kitchen to help Blissey taste the food.
Then he took the pruning shears and instructed Aggron to create a Pokémon costume,
cosplaying as Let's & Go!! with Porygon,
and finally accompanied Aggron and Shiny Feebas, who had finished tending to the plants, to swim in the nearby river.
Even on his days off, he was still busy and incredibly happy.
Interacting with Pokémon was like petting a cat—it just made your mood soar. Especially since it was a two-way street of affection.
Seeing a Pokémon whose entire world revolved around you? That was worth every bit of effort.
At least Kashiwagi was happy.
During lunch, he called over Steelix from Pyrite Town. After the meal, he gave the giant's polished steel body a thorough cleaning with sand and brushes. Then, Kashiwagi hopped onto Steelix's head for a casual flight around the area.
He wasn't trying to show off to the People of the Meteor—most of them were elderly folks who had seen it all—but you can't exactly hide a Pokémon that's over ten meters tall.
Standing up, Steelix towered over the single-story houses of Meteor Falls like a Kaiju in a retro monster movie.
Might as well embrace it.
However, a giant flying snake tends to attract attention. Within half an hour, Kashiwagi had gone from a solo flight to operating a school bus for a bunch of young Dragon Tamers who had just finished their classes.
The kids fresh out of school happened to spot the colossal Steelix dancing through the clouds, and they couldn't help but chase after her, shouting and cheering the whole way.
"Look! A giant Steelix!"
"Wait for us! Let us ride!"
Left with little choice, and with Steelix's okay, Kashiwagi gave them a lift.
Truth be told, acting as a giant taxi for human children was something Steelix was very used to doing back in Team Rainbow. Beneath that fearsome exterior and the sheer pressure of her size, there wasn't a single kid in Team Rainbow who didn't adore her.
Yamamino had once told Kashiwagi that the members of Team Rainbow—especially those from Blue Iridium Street and the former Team Snagem—viewed Steelix as a guardian deity left behind by their "Leader."
Even though over three months had passed since that fateful day, many still remembered the voice that led them and their Pokémon to charge against the tide.
Perhaps that visiting Champion had contributed more to the final victory, but for many in Team Rainbow, the sense of identity Kashiwagi gave them was irreplaceable.
Because of this, Steelix was treated with immense respect.
To his old friends, her presence was living proof that Kashiwagi hadn't abandoned them.
Was it a case of "love me, love my Steelix"? (love me, love my dog?)
Most likely.
"Careful up there!" Kashiwagi shouted toward the sky.
"ROOOOAR~⛓️"
The super-sized Steelix let out a low, rumbling growl in response. Today, she was playing the role of a school bus, cruising back and forth with a payload of ecstatic children.
A fleet of Altaria and Flygon escorted them on either side, while Swablu and Vibrava circled the outer perimeter.
"Talk about a massive flight squadron..."
Kashiwagi shielded his eyes from the sun, looking up at the sky, when he felt a sudden tap on his arm.
He turned to find a smiling elderly man holding a strange, brownish leather object. It took Kashiwagi a few seconds to realize it was a custom-made saddle specifically designed for a Hydreigon.
"Ah! Thank you, sir!"
Kashiwagi accepted it with genuine delight.
Yesterday, under Jinya's guidance, he had visited Old Man Aoyama, the most skilled craftsman in Meteor Village, to see if a saddle could be made for Hydreigon.
To be honest, he hadn't held out much hope. Even though Hydreigon had been thrilled at the idea, his body shape wasn't exactly "rider-friendly."
But the old man had simply measured Kashiwagi and Hydreigon, said absolutely nothing, and locked himself in his workshop. Less than a day later, the impossible was sitting in Kashiwagi's hands.
"Ho ho ho ho..."
Old Man Aoyama didn't say a word, just chuckled and turned to walk away. Jinya had mentioned that the old man was a man of few words and many actions—he'd been that way since he was young.
True to form, he wouldn't take any money for it, which left Kashiwagi wondering how to repay the favor.
I guess I'll have to whip up some gourmet food and drop it off, he thought. He'd realized that the only thing he could give people that they wouldn't refuse was his cooking.
"Time to head out!"
Kashiwagi called out to Steelix in the sky. It was time to go pick up the other "student" who was about to get out of class.
Even though it was only 3:00 PM, Steelix wasn't exactly a speed demon. The trip from Meteor Village to the Dragon's Den would take some time, and he wanted to get there early so the big three-headed "kid" wouldn't be left waiting anxiously.
Then again, even if he were late, Hydreigon would probably just fly back with the rest of the pack.
Many Dragon-types in Meteor Village headed to the Den during the day and leisurely flew back in groups at night, a daily ritual as old as the village itself.
"Groooar!"
Steelix responded from mid-air and immediately began her descent, giving the young Dragon Tamers a stomach-flipping sensation akin to bungee jumping. After the initial gasps of shock, the kids burst into laughter.
Even the youngest girl, Yuzu, wasn't scared at all. She laughed her head off, shouting, "Again! Again!" as if she were at an amusement park.
Unfortunately for her, the ride was over.
Kashiwagi shooed the disappointed rascals off and announced that playtime was finished. He hopped onto Steelix's forehead, stopped by his quarters to pick up Aggron and the others, and set course for Meteor Falls.
He hadn't forgotten about the Team Rocket situation, so he had to ruthlessly cut the team's rest day short.
They could finish their vacation once they got back.
The Pokémon didn't mind, of course. They couldn't truly relax without their Trainer around anyway, and they liked the idea of going to pick up Hydreigon from "school."
Having the whole squad show up to greet him? Hydreigon was going to feel like the coolest dragon on the block.